I've lived in Texas for almost eight years, and the question I get asked the most is, "Will Texas ever turn blue?"

It's worth wondering, especially because many Republicans view Texas as a kind of beacon of conservatism, a compass pointing in the right direction.

That's a prescient question now, given that a Democrat just pulled off an upset in the Texas Senate District 9 special election race in Tarrant County, where I live. Fort Worth is located primarily in Tarrant. President Donald Trump won the county in 2024, and Texas Senate District 9 has been Republican since 1991.

Do the Jan. 31 results of this race portend a blue wave in Congress in the midterm elections? No.

I don't think the latest election results are enough for Democrats to get too confident about taking back control of the House or Senate, but I do think Republicans should take notice.

Taylor Rehmet is the Democrat who flipped the district blue against Republican Leigh Wambsganss, whom Trump supported. Rehmet will replace Republican Kelly Hancock, now the acting state comptroller. The upset has made a splash in Texas and nationwide.

I was surprised to see the results of the race. However, there are a few things worth noting.

Voter turnout dropped........

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